It was the longest wait of Ray's life.

So much was riding on the outcome of the blood tests and he'd asked God more than once to let it go his and Livy's way. She was nervous and anxious and he knew that it couldn't be good for their baby.

Martha did what she could as she helped the younger woman decide what to do with the spare bedrooms upstairs. Ray and Livy had talked about it a lot and he knew that it was well past time to bring his parent's house back to life.

She'd already begun the process when she replanted his mother's garden.

She didn't want to change anything because it was his parent's house, but he countered with the argument that it was now their house and she could do what she wanted. After all, his parent's didn't have a telephone when Livy came and now they did. But he learned in the months of living together that it was important to her to keep the spirit of his parents there. Not just for him, but for her as well.

So they compromised.

While she enthusiastically agreed to fresh paint, she was adamant that the colors would not change and the wallpaper would be freshened up with a cleaning solution her mother taught her to make when she was young. Mama always took pride in how their home looked and as much as her father tried to persuade her to hire a housekeeper, her mother would have none of it.

She also wanted to re-paint and re-stain as much of the old furniture as she could but that was where Ray drew the line. He didn't want her around paint and stain fumes while she was expecting and she relented because there would be time after the baby came.

The question was, would this new baby that he and Livy created together know Danny as an older brother that they had also created together or would he or she grow up knowing that Danny had a father that wasn't Ray?

Doctor McCutcheon finally called to tell them that he had an answer. He wouldn't discuss it over the telephone of course, the party line and all, but he wanted Ray and Livy in his office to give them the news.

Ray suggested leaving Danny with Martha while they went into Wilson but she wanted the baby with them when they learned their fate. So he helped her into the truck ten minutes later and they made the drive to town in silence.

He parked in front of the doctor's office about twenty minutes later and rolled down his sleeves before he got out of the truck. He walked around to open the door for Olivia and when he did, tears were rolling down her cheeks. He pulled Danny gently out of her arms before he took her hand and squeezed it. "Don't expect the worst Livy."

"How can you be so calm?" Her look was incredulous.

"I have to be because you need me to be." His answer to her was simple and he helped her out of the truck then kissed her cheek. "Let's get this over with."

Ray grasped her hand firmly in his and felt it tremble as they walked into Doctor McCutcheon's office. It was practically deserted as he walked to the reception desk to let the nurse know that they were there.

"The doctor is waiting to talk to you and your wife Mr. Singleton." She stood up and walked away from the desk. A moment later she opened the door to the waiting room. "Please come with me."

Livy had joined him and he took her free hand for a moment and squeezed it. "Remember; don't expect the worst." He said softly as they followed the nurse to the doctor's office. She knocked on the door and opened it.

"Doctor, the Singleton's are here."

"Thank you Maggie; show them in please." Ray heard the calm tone of the doctor's voice and for some reason that he couldn't explain, was reassured. She stepped aside as Ray waited for Livy and walked in behind her. The door was closed behind him and the doctor was standing behind his desk. "I'm glad you could get here so quickly. Please sit down."

Livy glanced at him and he took Danny from her as she sat down. He sat down next to her and settled the baby in his lap before he reached over and took a trembling hand in his and waited for the verdict.

"I know you're both anxious to hear what the blood tests have to say so I won't keep you in suspense." He told them as he sat down and then opened a file folder. He glanced over the sheaves of papers inside and smiled. "As far as the results are concerned the two of you are Danny's parents."

Livy looked stunned as she glanced at Ray and then looked at the doctor. "How is that possible?"

"It's very simple; Danny has your blood type and interestingly enough you and Ray are also a match. So as I said, as far as the tests are concerned the lieutenant is not his father."

Ray sat in silence and tried to comprehend the incredible gift that he and Olivia had been given. Danny was theirs and the blood tests backed that up. Brown didn't have a claim on his son and now he would have to leave them alone.

"I'll be sending notification to the lieutenant of the results and that will be the end of it." He finished.

"I just can't believe it." Her voice was just above a whisper and she looked at him.

"Believe it Olivia." The doctor reassured her. "I ran the test's twice to be sure and the results were the same; there is no match between the lieutenant and your son. So for all intent and purposes Ray is Danny's real father."

"Thank you doctor." Ray tried to hold back a smile that was fighting to break across his face. But he needed to be serious about it because God had just given him something profound and he had to treat it with the reverence it deserved.

Doctor McCutcheon stood up and he seemed to have no qualms about smiling over the situation. "Believe me Ray, it's my pleasure to be able to give you this news."

He stood up and held the baby close, his baby. Not of his flesh, but his baby nonetheless and soon to be a big brother to a child that was.

Livy stood up next to him and he held out his hand to her. When she took it the look on her face was one of relief and happiness. Brown had turned their lives upside down out of his own selfishness and threatened to rend his family apart, but his plan failed and Ray felt all the more blessed. "If it's all right with you I told Martha we'd stop by on our way home and give her and Hank the news."

"It's fine with me Ray, it's only fair that she know as soon as possible." Livy nodded her agreement.

"Well Olivia, now that we have this matter settled I'll be expecting you back in a few weeks for your next check up for your monthly check-up." The doctor told her as he walked to the door of his office. He opened it then and looked at Ray. "Take your family home, son. You've been through a lot in the last few days."

"I don't know what to say."

He smiled as he opened the door for them. "The looks on your faces say more than words ever could. Congratulations."

"Thank you for everything doctor." Livy smiled back at him and waited for Ray to join her and the walked out of the doctor's office. Neither said a word until they got outside and he opened the passenger door for her. She didn't get in as he expected her to do and he wondered why. "Ray, I want to get married."

He was a little perplexed at her request because he was there the day that the Reverend Case married them. "Livy."

She laughed because she seemed to understand how it sounded. "We're already married, I know that. But when Reverend Case married us last year it wasn't because we loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. It was because of a circumstance that I never should have found myself in. What I want to do now is repeat the vows we made because it would be different this time. I would be making vows to you because I loved you, not because I was compelled to."

"In the eyes of God we're married." He wasn't sure why she wanted this. It wasn't as though their marriage wasn't valid just because they hadn't been in love when they made their vows. His pastor had solemnized it and as far as anyone knew, or cared Danny was theirs. "That's all that matters."

"But it matters to me Ray. You are my husband and I love you but I want a real wedding with your family and mine there and everyone in Wilson if they want to come. I want to walk down the aisle of our church on my father's arm and if he chooses not to come then Hank's, if he'll do it. It didn't feel like a wedding the first time because it a sense it wasn't."

It didn't matter to him one way or another but from the earnest look on her face, he could see that it mattered a lot to Livy. And if having a second wedding would make her happy then he would do it. He would do anything to make her happy. "I'll have to get a suit."

"You'll do it?"

He smiled at her and shrugged his shoulders. "If our having a another ceremony with our families and our friends there to witness it means that much to you, who am I to say no?"

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You are a wonderful man."

He smiled back at her and bounced Danny in his arms. "Tell me that again in about seven months when you're getting ready to have that one there." He glanced at her still slim form.

She looked down and stifled a laugh. "I really shouldn't laugh at this but it just occurred to me that we'll be having another wedding ceremony and I'll be expecting."

"Liv." He didn't see the humor in it and frowned. "It isn't something to laugh at."

She nodded. "I know that, it just seemed a little ironic and that struck me as funny."

Ray hadn't looked at it that way and shook his head in reluctant amusement. "It is ironic, isn't it? We could wait until after you have the baby if you want."

Livy shook her head. "Don't ask me to explain it because I don't think I could. But I want, I need to have a ceremony before our baby comes."

He nodded as Livy sat down in the truck and Ray handed Danny to her. "Do you want the reception at the house?"

"No, I don't think so. I can't imagine having a reception without dancing and our parlor is much too small for that. But if we could have the Friendship Hall, there would be enough room for everyone."

He smiled at her as he closed the door with a firm push. "How about I ask Slim to play? You seemed to like him at Martha's party."

"I'd like that Ray, I really would."

He walked around to the driver's side and got in. Just before he turned the key in the ignition he glanced at Olivia. "Let's stop by and see him then before we go home. Do you have a date in mind yet?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I hadn't given too much thought about an actual date. I want there to be enough time for my family to get here, but not so much time that I'm showing."

He thought about it for a moment. "Let's say three weeks from this Saturday. That will give us more than enough time to tell Martha and Hank, for you to call your family and to get a reception planned. Martha would be tickled pink if she could help."

"We'll have to include Ruth, too. She would be really hurt if we didn't make her a part of this." She added.

Ray nodded his acknowledgement. "We should go talk to the Reverend and make sure his schedule is clear. This is kind of a short notice."

"I know it is, but I'm sure he'll be glad to do this for us."

"I'm sure he will Liv, I'm sure he will." Ray agreed as he pulled away from the curb and headed toward Reverend Case's home to talk about a wedding.